Sealed
by NightshadeTwiningTheRosary
Summary: Katrina Bayliss is a Hunter, a warrior for the Senate.Juggling her friends & duties, Kate's only just understanding her new gifts & responsibilities.Now she's at risk of losing it all in exchange for what she once had.  OS Story. Full summary inside. R&R!
1. Prologue

**Summary**_  
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_Katrina Bayliss is a Hunter, a warrior for the proud Senate._

_She trains, she goes on missions and she rids the world of the devious races of daemons that plague the earth._

_That's all before there's any mention of her being your average high school girl on top of that._

_Juggling her friends with her duties, Kate's only just understanding her new-found gifts and responsibilities. She's worked hard and gotten exactly what she's wanted._

_Now she's at risk of losing it all in exchange for what she once had. She thought she was Sealed, her life was mapped out. She'd live, she'd fight, she'd die. Everything is falling apart and the world she knew is nowhere near what she expected or knew._

_Forbidden romance, secrets and lies, death and betrayal._

_Can Kate decide whose side shes on in time?_

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, so I write this a while ago, like about a year or something ago but I had no idea what category to put it in or even if I should upload OS on here. Seeing as I couldn't find anywhere else, I decided to give it a go~ Please R&R this! I wrote it with the intention of it becoming a novel one day and depending on reactions, etc, I'll upload the other chapters as well :) We'll just see how it goes~ Thank you to anyone that takes the time to read this and I hope it isn't that bad. It's UNBETA-ED so there will be grammers, etc. I'm sorry but I just fail in that area. I hope you like and let me know what you all think ^^**

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

_Salem, Oregon _

Seiryn was patrolling the area, just as she had been ordered. She roamed the level, wandering back and forth down the long cool corridors of the midnight-black mansion, hovering by one door in particular. The blades of her knives clicked against the sides of her sleek leather trousers with every lithe footstep she took, breaking the dull silence that curled around her. Her thin heels clacked across the hard floor, echoing and bouncing off the dark walls. Her yellow eyes glimmered in the night, seeing everything with perfect clarity. The young Master's breathing stayed forever in her line of hearing, through the walls to his room.

_Clack. Clack. Clack. _She thrummed, lifting her arms above her head with a stretch. Her shoulders gave a satisfying _crack_, loosening the joint and allowing it to move liquid-smooth. Her five fox-tails flicked, brushing each other in the daemon's impatience, twining and twisting vigorously.

_Who knew looking after a brat was so boring? Night after night after damn night. _She growled to herself. _I'm a high level daemon. I'm supposed to be out killing those pathetic Hunters and instead, I get stuck babysitting an Opaque mini-me. What a waste of my powers._

She juggled a tiny golden flame between her fingers, watching as it bounced from finger to finger, rolling over the skin and brightening in her palm. She snapped her fist closed, snuffing it out, blowing the smoke into the air. It dissolved after a few seconds, leaving her with nothing to do. Again.

_Clack. Clack. Clack. _Jeez, those heels were getting annoying after solid hours of listening to them going up and down the same lane. Seiryn felt a little bit like a jack-in-the-box. _Clack. Clack. Clack._ Bored. Bored. Bored. There was nothing to do but walk up and down. Up and down. Damn, she had done it so many times she could tell how many types of wood grain were embedded into the wall panels.

Suddenly she stopped, her whole body freezing on the spot. The kid had moved, and she didn't mean sleep-move like a rollover, but had moved and consciously gotten out of bed.

His breathing faltered from it's steady pace, picking up slightly. Seiryn strained her ears to hear what was going on. Even at his age, he could still be silent when moving in a way that was surreal, more than even she. The door opened a crack, a bright blue eye peeking through the curtain of red. It was the brightest blue Seiryn had ever seen, light and glowing, like a jewel twinkling from beneath the bloody shroud of his long auburn hair flowing down his back. She could only see the one eye, his hair covered the other, but Seiryn didn't need to see it to know that, just like his mother, he had been born with it mismatching; it was green and not blue. His nightshirt draped on him, hanging off his skinny shoulders. His expression gave nothing away. It was completely empty of any emotion.

"My Lord, is there something wrong?"

The boy glanced at her, his eye darting in her direction. At first, he did nothing but glare at her, as he always did. She often got the feeling that, like her, he resented the way she had to watch him constantly. Seiryn always felt herself crumble and feel the impulse to bow and kneel at his feet when he looked at her like that. A gaze so compelling and so commanding that it only hinted at the power than ran in his veins. She approached him cautiously, bending on one knee to the boy's eye level. His eye continued to follow, speculating.

"My Lord?" Her brow furrowed. "Prince Kyan?"

The door opened wider. He took a tiny step forward, as if unsure, his lips parting. Something white glimmered in the darkness, pearly white, like his skin. Suddenly, he was gone, disappearing into the thin air, in the blink of an eye. Seiryn felt his presence re-emerge behind her, flaring like a bright flame.

She remained still. His power was flowing all around him, like a beacon, a cloud of strength that pushed down on her constantly when he was near. She could practically feel that eye burning into her back with the intensity of white-hot fire. He took another step forward, then another.

_I don__'t understand. What is he doing? He should be asleep, damn brat._

The young Lord placed his hands on Seiryn, his cool touch making her shiver and tremble in fear. His movements, they weren't like any other. Small. Unpredictable. Steady. They didn't make sense for a daemon at all -a creature that should act on impulse and speed to gain the advantage- he shouldn't have needed to think.

His fingers caressed her shoulders and she could feel her willpower slipping away, being taken over by the need to serve and protect. His hands smoothed the pale skin, sliding up the curve of her throat. His breathe tickled the back of her neck, hot and clammy.

"My Lord, what are you-?"

She felt the cold sting of his fangs brush her skin. She stiffened, her blood running cold. Her tails were blustering around herself in fear, wrapping her hips in a furry protective layer. None dared to lick at the flesh of the Lord or even touch him while he was holding her in such a dangerous position. Every daemon knew that nothing good ever came from someone cursed enough to be bitten by a Prince.

His fangs pierced her skin, the sharp edges slicing into her flesh with the ease of a knife through butter. Seiryn cried out from the instantaneous flare of pain, losing her footing and falling to her knees. He fell with her, tightening his grip as he clutched himself against her form, pinning her across her chest and waist.

"My Lord, please." She begged "Your father-"

At the mention of his parent, the child bit harder, his nail grinding into her skin. Her blood pooled down from the deep cuts he had made in her, streaming like a river. She whimpered, unable to break away or fight back for fear the pain would only increase. Her own fangs emerged free from their sheath as a safety mechanism, much too late, making her whines muffled and hissing.

_Damn him_, she breathed to herself, _it isn't fair that a brat can have this much power over someone like me. He's just a baby, practically, yet it hurts so much…_

She wasn't able to think straight enough to finish her thought, the agony clouded her mind as her life energy poured into him, draining her. The effects were already starting to kick in. Her body was beginning to feel weak and disorientated, her vision was blurring at the edges and she was shaking uncontrollably. He was going to kill her if he didn't stop.

As if he had heard her, his arms unexpectedly uncurled from around her, falling to his sides again. He broke free from his hold on her, breathing heavily.

The world tipped and tilted, rolling on it's side. Seiryn felt herself losing consciousness, stooping closer and closer to the ground. Her hands pressed against the ground to hold herself up but with her strength sapped so much, she couldn't even do that. She hit the ground hard, restraining the still-flowing blood that dripped from her throat with a hand. He hadn't even bothered to close up the wound. Seiryn wished she had enough energy to curse the brat for what he'd done. He boy rose, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. That big blue eye of his was still staring down at her, though this time it with pity. A sympathetic disgust that Seiryn would normally have killed someone over, had she not been so close to death. She moaned, digging her nails into the hard flooring with a scowl.

_Damn him_, she cursed.

He turned, his expression now blank as it had always been previous, heading back into the huge room from whence he had come. Seiryn gasped as her eyes followed after him, wishing she could get up and strangle the little bastard. Inside the room, sat on the windowsill was a dark shadow with a power more great than the young Lord. She could feel it pulsating from where she lay, tangible and strong. The boy took the figure's outstretched hand, allowing it to pick him up and cradle him against it's chest like a baby. The window was wide open, blowing ghastly freezing winds into the hall. It whistled in her ears with an infuriating howl.

_No!_ She moaned, her heart hammering. _I have to…protect him, or else…_

Her nails ground into the stone. Using what little strength she had, she tried to drag herself along the ground, wailing in pain and collapsing. It was useless now, she couldn't do anything. The shadow was going to take the young Prince and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Seiryn was as good as dead for allowing this to happen. The shadow stepped up onto the window edge, a faint bleached silver light casting a reflection across it's back. Hanging from it's head was a waterfall of crimson like the young Lord, bristling and blowing in the wind. Seiryn reached a hand out towards it desperately. She had only ever known one other daemon in her life to share the boy's red hair and that person had been dead for years.

_It__'s not possible, _She cried, _The Lady was executed. She can't possibly be-_

The light caught the figure's chest for a brief second, revealing a birthmark that Seiryn had only ever, like the hair, seen once. A bloody double _X_ imprinted into the flesh.

_The Mark. The Lady__'s Mark of the Traitorous Princess. I can't be! She's-the Lady, she's dead. It can't be._

It glittered bright red, winking at her then flashed away, coveted in darkness once more. The Mark of the Traitorous Princess twined into her skin. All this time, had Opaque really been wrong? Was it possible she had…survived her execution? Was it possible she had just been in hiding and was only choosing to reveal herself now to take her son back?

_It__'s not real, I'm hallucinating from blood loss. It's not real, I can't be!_

Seiryn's greatest fear had come to life right before her eyes. The Daemon Killer, alive when she should be dead, now claiming back the one thing she had been ordered to protect on her life. Then the shadow disappeared from sight and with it, the young Lord held in it's arms as it dropped from the window to the lower levels and escaped. Seiryn's blood pooled around her and she trembled in terror and agony. Her eyes were wide and disbelieving.

Indeed it was right, what all the daemons had said to her; those who were cursed enough to get bitten by a Prince never did last long.

Seiryn had definitely been cursed this night. Bewitched by a child of the dead into believing something impossible, yet, she had seen it with her own eyes. The Mark of the dead Princess stared her back in the face. The bloody double _X_ of a traitor.

The Mark remained burned into the back of her eyeballs as she drifted out of consciousness, praying she had merely fallen asleep on duty and all of this had been a dream. Otherwise, the Prince would have her head.


	2. Chapter 1: Blood & Poetry

**A/N:** **Hey hey! So...I was thinking that maybe I could give you guys something more than just the prologue, that way you can get to grips with the actual main character and have something more to evaluate. So~ This is the first chapter~ Enjoy! Again, totally UNBETA-ED because I just fail in grammer so~ please try and look past that and tell me what you think. I already have a lot of this prewritten and ready to go should this be enjoyed~ R&R Please!**

**Disclaimer: I own everything in this fic. Entirely my own works~  
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><p><span>Chapter 1: Blood and Poetry<span>

_Seattle, Washington_

"Katrina?" A voice echoed in her mind, "Hello, Kate?" The voice seemed to be getting more irritated. "Earth to Kate?" it growled.

Kate suddenly snapped back into reality, having realised that she was being called, finally. She blinked in wonder at the glowering eyes glaring back at her impatiently. It didn't take her long to figure out whose eyes they were, or recognise the characteristic scowl that was pasted across her best friend's face.

"Huh?" She gasped, her cheeks burning. "I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

Genna rolled her eyes from behind her expensive glasses, sighing in exasperation. "Yeah, I did. I asked if you were planning on going to lunch. You've been sat here like this for over five minutes. It's getting worrying."

Kate put her head in her hands as her friend set to work gathering her books and sliding them into her backpack. Brushing her hair back, she stood and took the pack before mumbling a quick thank you.

"I've been doing that a lot lately." She said, "Spacing out, I mean."

"Are you okay? Is everything at home good? Is that nitwit dad of yours treating you okay? He better be or I swear I'm gonna-"

"_Memphis?_" Kate exclaimed in alarm, her face paling, "No! No, it's nothing like that. He's …really nice to me. I think maybe I'm just tired. I've had a lot of homework lately."

This was true. Lately the teachers seemed to be piling it on her, task after essay after project. It was all so tiring that Kate wasn't even sure what her current homework was anymore, but with pop quizzes and tests coming up, she had to stay on her toes.

"It better be nothing like that." Genna muttered "I really hate it when you hear about all of those weirdos who do awful stuff to their kids in the news. It's sick. Makes me want to turn them all blue."

Kate smiled ruefully. "Really, it's not. Memphis is great. Better that great actually. He's trying his best, what with work and then the house and learning to cook. He's like a little housewife pottering around the house."

Genna laughed, actually laughed. "I'll bet. He definitely seems like the kind of moronic guy you'd expect to do that."

Walking down the corridors to the cafeteria, Kate had to swerve to avoid the growing throng of teens hell-bent on grabbing the best of what the school had on offer. Kate didn't eat so much so she didn't really care at all. Food was food to her, nothing else, a means of fuel. She squeaked in surprise when Genna suddenly grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her towards the back of the cafeteria, into the line. The way the girl moved, she could have been a bulldozer, shoving her way through the people until about halfway up where she lodged them in snugly. None of them dared argue with Genna to her face. She was a monster of a girl that you just didn't mess with. At over six feet tall with big hips, sporting Doc Martens and a vibe of _you-touch-me-and-I'll-kick-you-so-hard-you'll-be-burping-shoe-leather_, she was your typical Yankee. The collective of irritated snarls and moans still made Kate shrink back a little. There had to be at least a hundred eyes on them for pushing in like this and they were all angry.

Genna picked up plates for both of them, stomping her way to a -relatively- clear table before kicking back and steaming into her grub. It was like watching a pig. The girl just didn't seem to care about anything.

"Seriously, Gen," Kate chuckled, "cool it. Where were you raised? A barn?"

She stopped chewing long enough to give Kate a droll stare. "No. Actually, my Mama is from New Orleans. Home of the Cajuns." She winked.

Hell, Kate already knew that. If everyone at school thought Genna was a rock, they had never met her Mama. Mrs Pelletier had to be the scariest and yet the coolest woman that Kate had ever met in her entire life. With a river of golden waves like her daughter and warm blue eyes, she was also one of the most beautiful. Looking around and trying to avoid the stares of the group of girls just a few seats down from them at the table, Kate noticed something.

"Hey, where's Ree today?" She asked.

Genna shrugged. "How am I suppose to know? Just because we're twins it doesn't mean we're, like, psychically attuned to each other. Probably off sucking face with that low-life boyfriend of hers."

_That_ Kate could believe. Genna and Ree were so different, it was bizarre, to say they looked identical. Where Genna was always rough and not afraid to lay you out if you peeved her off, her sister was more contented to walk around in designer sandals and make the most of her French heritage. Sometimes Kate wondered how it was possible that the both of them had been cut from the same cloth.

"You're so lucky you don't have any brothers or sisters," Genna was saying, slurping up a line of tomato spaghetti, "they're such a pain in the neck. Just the other day, I went into the bathroom to pick up my hairbrush and almost died when I walked in on Luc completely totally butt naked. I will be forever scarred by that image for the rest of my kick-ass life."

Kate smiled. Luc was just one of Genna's three brothers and all of them were viciously attractive. Although she blushed, Kate couldn't exactly deny that _she_ wouldn't have minded seeing Luc showering, even if he was older.

"I don't know if I have any." Kate said softly, "I've never met my birth parents."

Kate couldn't even remember what they looked like. She knew she should at least remember something about them, anything, but they remained clouded from her mind. Somehow out of reach, like there was a wall in her mind that prevented her from getting to them. She couldn't remember anything at all about her parents. That was no surprise, she supposed. They weren't the only thing she'd forgotten. She couldn't remember anything about anyone, anywhere or anything.

That was because Katrina Bayliss had no memories of her life prior to last year.

Genna put a hand on top of Kate's, giving her an apologetic half-hearted smile that turned out to be nothing but a tiny tilt at one corner of her mouth. It was a pathetic attempt really. Kate shook herself internally.

_No, _She whispered, _it isn't Genna's fault. I won't blame her. _

Genna had been good to her since her very first day. She remembered all too easily the huge girl that had ploughed through a horde of jokers that had laughed at Kate when she'd been stupid enough to lose focus for five seconds and trip over a boot. Genna had given that boy what-for in a way that still made Kate smile. The horror that had been on that boy's face before he'd ran away screaming like a girl. Mama, that had been good. A moment Kate would remember forever. She had looked at Kate a few seconds later with the gentlest eyes of everyone she'd met and she'd picked up her books for her and then picked Kate up, never expecting a thank you or even a smile. Nobody had been like that with Kate, nobody as far as she could remember. Nobody had thought to just be there for her who wasn't Memphis.

Nobody had even looked at her, which she hadn't minded much. Of course, you'd never believe the story simply hearing it. The way that Genna was acting now just tucking in made her look the exact opposite of the kind girl she had met that day. However, if there was one thing that Genna Pelletier loved more than violence, it was a good meal. Anyone or anything that came between her and food…well, you just didn't stick around to find out in case she decided to ram an R.V up your ass. But, what could you do? Genna was Genna.

Kate sighed at the old memory, leaning back on her chair and smiling.

"Whatcha gorking at?" Genna asked, blinking at her, "Do I got food on my face?" She mumbled, checking her black tank for crumbs rapidly. "Don't you be going all space cadet on me again."

Kate chuckled, shaking her head. "Actually, I was remembering my first day here."

Genna nodded, her eyes lighting up. Suddenly they darkened mischievously, a creepy smile looming on her lips. "Yeah, that was a good day. I bet good old Jack still remembers it like a charm. Hey! Hey Jack!" She yelled, turning around. A blond boy flicked his head with a scowl on his face in their direction, looking moderately bored. Genna gave him a tentative wave. Kate wrinkled her nose as she saw the boy's eyes widen and his body shudder, snaking his arms around himself.

"What the hell did you say to him that day anyway?" Kate asked.

Genna struggled innocently, "Well, you know, a bit of sugar and spice and all things nice. That's what girls are made of you know."

Kate resolved that, with an answer like that, it was probably best that she didn't know at all.

She had barely touched her own plate at all, still full from breakfast this morning when Memphis had cooked waffles and actually succeeded. Kate hadn't been very hungry then but Memphis was celebrating his own little drama, not burning something. Kate just hadn't had the heart to reject his offerings when he was so obviously happy with himself, dancing around the kitchen and waving his spanner in the air like a white flag.

"What's up, you not hungry again?" Genna asked her, her eyes filling with concern. She was so sweet sometimes that she forgot how little Kate ate. Kate shook her head solemnly, offering the plate to her friend. She took it without argument, dousing the contents with ketchup. Where she put all of it, Kate did not know. It was unreal.

Halfway through the second course, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. Kate felt more than saw her friend's exhausted eye roll followed by a majestic slumping of her shoulders. Kate could only agree with that reaction, rising and swinging her bag over her shoulder. Literature. It was a class nobody wanted to do and hardly anybody understood. Kate was willing to bet that half the time most of the class didn't even listen, it wasn't exactly essential, considering that for most of the class, they _spoke _English. Why did they need to know anything else? Why did they force kids to sit through a class where all they talked about was characterisation and personification and a whole load of -_tions_. It was just cruelty and worse than that, it was boring. Kate groaned low in her throat, trudging her way through the bright corridors of their high school, bordered with walls cluttered in flyers and posters and notices in glass cases. Red, green, yellow, blue, pink, they all seemed to slur together the more you passed them, burning the fancy writing into your skulls with offers and reminders. Every other interval there was usually a clock or a football team flag of some sort taking up the stone spaces of the old building.

Kate wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her sweater closer to her skin. Was it just her or had the school gotten colder in the past months? The joys of being in an old building, she reasoned, turning through the mass and strolling into her classroom where most of the class had already taken their places in the ancient wooden seats, behind their wooden desks. Kate took hers, sneaking in at the back of the room as Professor Marcus set to work writing on the chalkboard in her curly hand. Sam Redwood had already gotten to work handing out books to the class, as well as notes to her friends a few seats down from Kate. She stopped every few tables or so to hand one out, snickering. Just before she got to her, she saw the boy in front of her -she was sure his name was Calvin- get passed a note. Leaning forward to see what it was, she realised it wasn't a note at all but a party invitation decorated with images of balloons and embossed writing.

Sam slammed a copy of the book down on Kate's desk, passing her almost without a glance. She couldn't held but feel a little disheartened. Then again, she didn't exactly know Sam, so she was hardly going to care. That's what she told herself at least. Just then, the teacher called the class to order, shrinking the teens to silence before clapping her hands and rocking on her heels excitedly. Kate wished she could be as happy as the Professor at this time in the afternoon, so close to home time.

"Right!" She yelled, pulling her glasses from her face and leaning back on her desk in a way that seemed quite provocative to Kate. "Next on our reading list this term is one I'm sure many of you have heard of but will probably never appreciate." Sitting on her desk fully, the teacher crossed her legs. "William Shakespeare's _Romeo & Juliet_."

There was a collective of groans that shuddered through the room. Kate sank back on her seat, rolling her head back. This was definitely going to be a long afternoon.

"For this text, as most of you can tell, it is strictly written as a drama piece. Hence, I would like to teach it to you just so. For this term, I will assign some of you parts and you will read them to the class after which we will discuss the contents of what had just been portrayed. Is that clear?"

There was a chorus of _yes_ before the teacher set to work assigning parts at random, a rolled copy of the text in her hands. Just when she got to the two essential roles at the end, the Professor raised her head, looking straight at Kate with narrowed eyes.

_No, please, _She begged, _oh God, surely even you can't be that harsh. No me, please tell me she's not looking at me_.

"Calvin Jackson, you can be Romeo." She said. Kate let out her breathe in relieved gust, settling back into her seat but the teacher wasn't done yet. "Katrina Bayliss." She announcement. Kate's heart almost stopped in her chest.

"Y-yes?" She stuttered, preying she wouldn't hear the words she knew were imminent in a class where she tried to take as little a part of as possible.

"Juliet." She assigned with a cocky smirk, sliding her glasses back on to her face and holding her book under her nose.

Kate's head hit the desk as a wave of misery overcame her. With a weary sigh, she brushed back her hair and peeled away the cover as the Professor began reading the opening prologue in her soft sing-song voice.

_She has to be a daemon, _Kate though, _no teacher hates me as much as she does. She must really hate me. Like _really _hate me_. _Why does my life have to suck so bad? What the hell did I do to deserve this?_

When the bell eventually tolled for the next class, after what felt like forever, Kate could not be happier to get out of that room and escape the horror of reading out to the class as she had been forced. Flushed from tripping over the words so many times, she couldn't stop herself from bolting straight out of that door.

"Miss Bayliss?"

As soon as Kate heard them words however, she wanted to cry. She was a few centimetres from freedom and yet still, she couldn't get away. Turning hesitantly, she tried to look as calm as possible.

"Yes, Professor?"

The teacher smiled slightly, removing her glasses from her face, textbook still in hand. "Good work today." She said

Kate smiled, mumbling her thanks, before getting the hell out of there to move on to the next dose of torment, but it was torment at least that she could do. Gym. Something essential and yet, it sucked so bad. Everything was so easy, so simple. Storming into the locker rooms, Kate changed as quickly as she could, having been made almost late by the Professor. She slipped on her sweats, tying her black hair away from her face before heading out to face the coach.

Luckily she'd made it just in time as the other kids were stretching out. She joined in easily, bending like the others in perfect sync. Yep, it was definitely too easy. At this rate, she was going to be high jump champ of the semester. After stretching, the girls all folded into a line, taking their individual shot to jump the bar. A few girls in front of Kate were jittering to themselves worriedly. She smiled, wondering what exactly it would be like to be a normal girl who had to actually try when doing physical activities instead of never even needing to think. Her body would do what was necessary without her even realising what it was she was doing. As they stepped up one after the other, Kate watched them all go, taking the long run before leaping as best they could before the line, curving their bodies midair to avoid the bar, then falling into the crash mat, never being able to catch themselves.

"Next!" The coach boomed.

The girl directly in front of Kate was next to go. She heard her callous breathing as she stepped forward, bending to the left once more. Then she was off, launching herself as fast as her human legs would carry her. Kate watched in amazement at how determined the girl was, at the way she pushed herself to the max just before the line then sprang high in the air -just high enough- arching her back over the pole, her ankles missing it by a hair, then plummeting to the mat with a soft _pat_. Standing back up, she was doubled over with her hands on her knees, breathing hard.

"Nice form, Amber. You're getting much better." The coach said to her, patting the girl on the back. She lifted her arm in thanks, dragging herself a few feet away before seating herself on the ground. "Next!" The couch yelled.

Kate stepped forward, calculating the distance in her head. It was a one hundred metre sprint. Easy. She could do that no problem. Crouching and setting herself into the starting positions, she awaited the whistle. Energy coiled in her legs, winding around and around impatiently. The whistle tooted sharply. Kate pushed, propelling her body down the runway. She focused, keeping her pace human. If she went too fast then everything Memphis had been training her for would mean nothing. She couldn't afford to let him down now, she had to stay inconspicuous. Her feet slapped against the floor, making her feel lazy at the rate she was running. She knew she could go so much faster. She pushed a little more, letting it slip a little and felt herself gasp.

Kate pushed her power back. She had passed the boundary only a little and yet it hit her like brick wall, the darkness that made her body pulsate in excitement. She held it back, slowing back to a human pace. Their eyes moved so slowly that the coach or any of the others would never have even seen the difference. Her toe was almost at the line when she jumped, exactly at the right moment, her hips twisting without any guidance. Her spine curved magnificently, teeming over the bar with miles to spare of cold space. Her body begin curling again to make her land on her feet. Kate stiffened purposefully, locking her energy to paralyse herself. She almost rolled her eyes in boredom, awaiting the ground to come. She crashed into the mat, quickly climbing to her feet, having not broken a sweat. Kate breathed deeply, inhaling and exhaling dramatically for the other students. The coach patted her on the back.

"Perfect! Beautiful, as always, Katrina." She cooed.

"Thanks, coach." Kate said softly, trying her best to sound breathless.

"You know," The coach said, "my offer for you to join the team and represent is still open. Your skills would be a valuable asset. I don't believe I've ever seen a form as good as yours in all my years teaching. Your father must be so proud."

"Yes, ma'am." Kate smiled. She had absolutely no idea that Kate's "father" could make her jump look like a toddler's compared to his grace and precision. Memphis would never have allowed himself to cross the boundary, even for a split second, in front of humans. He was going to be upset when he found out about this, Kate was sure. Months to training and lessons and in a single second of eagerness, she had pushed far enough to reach her other side and go from human, to non-human. She had touched the danger zone far too closely, barely brushing the fringes, but it was enough that it would have been noticeable if she had pushed even a tiny bit more. The humans would have seen a whole different side of Kate.

"My father," Kate said "wants me to focus more on my studies. Maybe next year." She offered glumly but it was obvious the coach was disappointed. Kate sat down beside the other students just as the coach yelled for the next girl.

Kate still felt guilty at the end of class when she was changing back into her clothes in the beaten-up locker rooms, pulling her white sweater over her head. Slipping into her jeans, she traded her sneakers for ballet flats, stuffing her clothes back into her backpack.

The last bell chimed for the end of school, setting a big grin across Kate's face. Freedom at long last. She ripped the band from her hair, the glossy black curls tumbling to her shoulders, tickling her cheeks like inky spirals. Heading out into the air, the breeze hit Kate in a cloud of glorious cool, blowing away all of her worries from the day. Well, at least some of them. Kate pushed through the mass of smiling heads pouring out of the doors and heading to their cars in deep conversation. Students were in high spirits, chattering eagerly in their friends as they dispersed from the lot, heading home.

Kate stretched up on her toes, glancing over the crowd for Genna and her car. Her eyes eventually found them, a set of three golden heads perched on their lime-green Toyota. The car wasn't exactly hard to miss in a colour like that. Kate made her way over to them, unsurprised to find that the twins were fighting again.

"Why the hell would I take your scarf? Do I _look_ like the kind of dork who wears _pink_? _Really?_" Genna was saying, throwing her arms around herself dramatically to emphasize the black on black ensemble she was wearing. "Seriously, Des, it's a disgusting colour."

"That _scarf_ is made of the finest silk in Paris and dyed using the colouring straight from Japanese cherry blossoms. It's worth more than your life." Desiree argued back, giving her twin the eyeball. Kate sighed. It was always like this with them because they were so different. Even in the way they dressed, like today. Genna had gone for a black tank and black cargos with her Doc Martens and her blond hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Ree had come in a long dress printed with flowers of varying purple shades with Greek-style sandals and her hair hung loose down her back. Complete opposites. Their youngest brother, Soliel, was watching on with a nonchalant expression, pulling on his wristband, made of a fine leather strips twined together with beads. He was only a year below them and already he was taller than both of the twins, at least a whole head or so. Fifteen years old and he was already over six and a half feet. It was worrying.

"Worth more than my life!" Genna scoffed "You want to hear yourself, it's pathetic. Ask Mama, you'll probably find _she_ has your stupid scarf."

Desiree growled under her breathe, "One of these days, Giselle, I swear…"She was muttering something insulting towards her twin, getting in the Toyota and slamming the door. Genna rolled her eyes, climbing in after her.

"Hey, Soliel." Kate mumbled. He looked up, smiling and giving her a wave as he picked up his messenger bag. "Twin drama again?"

He nodded, running a hand through his short blond hair. "Ree lost her scarf and she thinks that Genna took it."

"Did she?" Kate asked. She knew how funny that Genna often found it to wind her sister up, though the thought of her best friend in a pink silk scarf was slightly worrying. She didn't really believe she had took it at all.

"Nope," Soliel said, "she left it downstairs in the kitchen along with her sunglasses. Probably covered in ketchup though, knowing Genna."

Kate stared at him, climbing into the car and sliding into the backseat beside him and Genna. "I notice things." was the only excuse he gave. With a shrug as well, she added silently.

As soon as they were all in, Cherif -their other brother- revved the car, pulling out of the lot, reaching over and turning the music down that had been pumping through the sound system.

"Urgh! Seriously man, what the hell are you listening to? That sucks." Genna asked him, clicking in her seatbelt. Cherif glanced at her through the mirror with a smile, turning the music back up.

"It's called music, Giselle, you might want to try some. They actually _sing_. Can you imagine that? _Singing? _Not screaming like in that trash you listen to."

Kate chuckled. He wasn't exactly wrong. The stuff that Genna listened to was mostly heavy metal, really, really loud. Kate never understood a single word that the singers said because it was all blared out by guitar and drums. Genna folded her arms across her chest, pulling her cell out of her pocket and tapping away at the keyboard. After a few minutes of her ignoring him, Cherif turning it back down a little.

"What is this anyway? Sounds kinda punk." Desiree asked. Cherif flicked open the glove compartment, pulling out a case he handed to her. She nodded, impressed before putting it back, tapping her nails against the window in time to the beat.

"It's a new style that's on the market. Elice said to try it out and see what I thought. He's thinking about twisting some of it into some of our music at our next gig. It ain't that bad and the lyrics are fairly steady. We should be able to put something together." Cherif informed them.

"When's the band's next gig?" Kate wondered. Cherif was in a band with a few of his friends, called Wicked. Elice was the leader of the band and usually did the vocals along with Kiki, Cherif's girlfriend. They were actually pretty good, Kate had been to see them with Genna quite a few times and every time had been a good night. Cherif played drums usually and wrote the songs because the others were either too dumb or too lazy. She really enjoyed going, but there hadn't been a gig in a few weeks.

Cherif glanced at Kate through the rearview mirror, pursing his lips. "I think we're in Xenon this weekend or…is it next weekend? We're there sometime this month if I can manage to write something by then. Why, are you coming along again?"

Kate glanced at Genna, who was still busy texting, giving him a hopeful smile. "It's possible." She said, just as they pulled up beside her house.

"Let me know and I'll get you guys good seats." He said.

Kate nodded, collecting her bag from under her feet then climbing out of the car. She waved at them as Cherif rolled the car off the curb then drove off into the distance, turning off at the end of the street. She liked the sound of going to see Wicked again but she was moderately surprised they were playing at Xenon. Xenon was one of the best bars in town, on the slickest end of the downtown stream. She'd only _heard_ about the splendour that rested within it's walls. To actually be able to go inside was…well, it was a chance she didn't want to pass up if she could help it.

Turing to head into the house, she realised Memphis's motorcycle was parked in their paved driveway. He was home, which was odd. Usually he worked late or was away for days at a time on orders. The Harley's shiny black paint winked at her under the dowdy sunlight of the afternoon like the lacquered wood furniture of her bedroom. He hadn't even bothered to put it in the garage. Kate's brows folded together in curiosity. Memphis never usually left his motorcycle out like that. Resolute that something was wrong, Kate cautiously walked up to the porch of her classy town house.

Memphis had told her when she'd moved in with him that the house was quite old, that it had been designed in the 1800s or something. With it's mansard roof, leaded windows and Tudor-style design however, it looked a hell of a lot older, but it was also one of the prettiest buildings that Kate had ever seen. She'd read about these kinds of houses before when she had looked around in Memphis's bookshelf and taken a nosy into a Dickens book. Like a Victorian English dream house.

The door was unlocked. Walking in, she closed the door behind her quietly, padding into the hallway and hanging up her jacket. She set her rucksack down, peering into the next room. The house was so quiet, nothing was moving at all. It was too quiet to say somebody _was_ home.

"Memphis?" She called. There was no answer. "Memphis, it's Kate! Are you home? I saw your motorcycle!"

Her eyes narrowed. Something about this was very wrong. Kate concentrated, feeling her power flowing in her veins. Her eyes darted from left to right as she made her way through to the kitchen, where she kicked off her shoes. If she was going to have to fight, there was no way she'd be able to in them silly things. She took a knife from the knife block, hiding in in her sleeve. Wrapping her hair into a makeshift knot, she focused, targeting her energy along her spine to her _ajna_. It's warm glow flowed under her coppery skin across her features, collecting in the centre of her forehead where her third eye should be. It's flame burned brighter, sharpening her senses. Her sight brightened, making everything more acute and clear. Her hearing picked up, allowing her to hear almost everything within a mile or so if she so wished. She breathed in deeply, catching the musky scent that curled it's way through the house as she hadn't before. It was Memphis's scent. He was definitely here, Kate realised.

She followed the scent, keeping her hand at the ready to draw her knife as she climbed the stairs to the drawing room. She kept her body low, like a predator on the prowl and prepared as she crossed the long hall, decored in thick wood panelling and oriental pieces such as samurai swords mounted on the wall and fold out fans. Creeping along, she pushed the door at the end gently, her eyes searching. His scent was thick in here. Stagnant, like Memphis had been in this room recently, or was even still in the room. She approached his desk carefully at the back of the room, where his scent was at it's thickest. The crystalline glass of the desk was polished, filled with books and papers. She reached out and touched it lightly, running her fingers along it. A window was open to the left of her, the light breeze ruffling the sheets. Kate was sweating in her panic, her feet were beginning to stick to the marble under her.

She couldn't understand it. She had followed his scent exactly and yet, he was nowhere to be seen. She walked around to the front of the ornate desk, the legs of which were carved in the shape of beautiful rosewood nymphs with their arms above their heads, commanding the lovely lacy vines around them to support and hold the glass top. There was a book wide open in front of the rosewood and leather study chair. Kate peered over, reading what Memphis had left out. As she leaned forward to read, she felt the air above her stir.

_No, _she breathed inside her mind, _I wasn't wrong at all. Memphis _is_ here_.

She smiled to herself.

Kate suddenly grappled at the desk, kicked the chair away as she vaulted over it's surface with an inhuman speed and grace. She landed low, in a crouch, on her toes. Rising, she rapidly turned just in time to cross her blade with her Master.

_Damn it!_ She chided herself, _no wonder I couldn't find him. He's been waiting here all along. Above me, where I would have thought to look. Jeez, his lessons always come back to bite me in the ass._

"Rule Number Three: Always expect the unexpected-" Kate growled, pushing against her opponent's blade, "because your enemy-" She breathed, giving a stubborn shove. Memphis stumbled back a few steps. Kate cart wheeled back.

"-never fights fair." She finished, lifting her arm to point her blade towards Memphis. Her master smiled, revealing pointed incisors. Dressed in the full fighting gear of thin rose-gold material, his body was almost completely protected. Orichalcum. The armour of the Hunters. It appeared thin and flimsy to the eye but if struck head-on, it could deflect any man-made weapon. He spun his sword in his fingers, running the thin blade of his favoured katana between his eyes like a true Master. He raised his other hand, bending two fingers at her as if to say; _come on then_. Kate gritted her teeth at the challenge.

She charged, lunging at the Hunter with a sharp jab. He parried the blow, barely scathing him. They circled, step for step, exchanging quick and skilful strikes. Memphis span, grinding his blade against Kate's. Kate pushed against the blades with all her upper body strength, forcing her Master back. Kate smiled to herself. She was winning, actually winning. With his back against the wall, Memphis had nowhere to run. The blades were sparking from the pressure. The metal screeched in protest. All she needed was to push a little more and the blades would be at his throat…he'd have no choice but to surrender.

If Kate hadn't been so cocky, she would have anticipated his next move. His blade was almost across his throat but he was grinning wildly. Kate narrowed her eyes, growling. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he turned the tables. His hand whipped out of nowhere, drawing another smaller blade from his belt. He crossed it with his katana, kicking Kate in the stomach and slashing her arm.

She stumbled back, catching herself on her toes. Her eyes widened as he lunged at her again. She jumped. Her arm swung out instinctively to catch herself. A sudden burst of pain shooting up her body made her cry out and slip, crashing to the ground hard on her shoulder. Hot blood was pouring from the deep cut Memphis had made. She glared at it in horror and shock. He'd never cut her before, not like this. Not like he was actually trying to kill her. He was coming at her again. Her eyes darted for a weapon -hers had slipped from her fingers when Memphis had struck her. There was no way she would be able to beat him with fists alone, not if he was going hell for leather on this. Clutched her arm, Kate dived out of the way of his attack but he just kept coming. She dodged every strike, ducking and spinning and moving as fast as her body would allow. She was never going to get anywhere at this rate. Her eyes searched the room for some resolve. If only she could get away for a minute or so…

Then she saw her chance.

She darted out of the way of his next attack, stepping further and further back. Then suddenly, out of the blue, she ran like hell, head-on, propelling her body straight at her attacker. She saw her Master's eyes widen in surprise. She had no weapon and was attacking head on. He would never have suspected it. Kate knew it was suicide but luckily, it wasn't the striking side she had in mind. Just before she reached him, Kate leaped. Memphis's eyes followed her as he slowly began to turn. She waited for just the right moment…then kicked off his shoulders, giving her the boost she needed. She put as much of her energy as she could, using her Master's body to her advantage. Soaring, she coiled her body into a ball like he had taught her at great heights, landing in a roll behind the desk.

"Hello again." She breathed to the desk, crawling underneath, All she needed was a minute…

Memphis turned, startled and stunned. He had never anticipated she would be so stupid and yet, so clever. He whipped his blades to his side, searching for her. She was hiding under the desk, like a little child. He couldn't understand what she was doing. Katrina had never been the kind of girl to hide at all. She met the challenge and she gave it her all. He approached, circling around the desk cautiously.

Kate sucked in her breath, pushing almost all of her energy into her _visudda_. She preyed her plan would work, otherwise she was chopped liver. He was coming, that she could feel. Her heart was pounding in her ears and her breath was bordering on hyperventilation. She tried to steady her nerves as she kicked at the wood with everything she had. It burst, splitting ferociously. She pulled herself free from it's reprieve, still holding her breathe. She'd gotten out just in time. Memphis was right at the opening of the desk and his eyes were fixated on her. They were killer eyes that burned with determination. Spinning his blades, he kicked the desk with a force that was breath-taking, sending it soaring at Kate. She didn't have the energy nor the time to jump it.

It hit her, knocking her against the far wall and trapping her there. Memphis had his blades at the ready, crossed and shining menacingly. Looming over her, he raised his blades to make the final blow that would strike her straight through the heart.

Without warning, Kate unleashed the full force of all the energy she had held within her in a shrill, deadly screech.

Memphis's blades slipped from his hands as he clapped his hands over his ears, clattering to the ground. His thoughts were scattered, she had fully dispersed so much energy, that he couldn't even think what his next move was now. He was left completely and utterly unguarded, dazed and weapon less. Kate saw her chance. Climbing over the desk at a human pace, she picked up Memphis's fallen blades. Temporarily paralyzed by the ringing in his ears, he never even heard or saw Kate's next move. She kicked his feet out from under him, knocking him onto his back. His eyes focused on her as soon as he hit the ground but it was too late. Kate lowered herself, pressing her knee against his chest and the other against the ground. She crossed the blades at his throat, having just enough energy left to behead her Master if necessary. Not even he would be able to curl out from under her and attack in his currant state.

"Dead." She croaked, breathing heavily with ragged breaths. Her pulse was hammering.

"Well done," Memphis mumbled with a smile, his incisors shrinking back, "You've passed your final test. You're now officially an Apprentice Hunter."


End file.
